Henry Padovani

Henry Padovani (b. October 13, 1952, in Bastia, Corsica) is a Corsican musician, who is noted for having been the original guitarist for The Police. In 1977, he was replaced by Andy Summers.

Padovani grew up between Algeria and Corsica. He moved to London in 1976 and started frequenting the by then uprising punk scene. it was during a visit to the Roxy Club that he met Stewart Copeland, who invited him to join The Police.

With Padovani on guitar The Police recorded their first single, "Fall Out" and "Nothing Achieving" in 1977. However Sting was deeply dissatisfied with Padovani's technical abilities, paving the way for Andy Summers, whom they met after a brief tour supporting Mike Howlett.

For a brief period between July and August 1977, The Police performed live as a four piece with Padovani and Summers sharing guitar duties. After an aborted studio session with producer John Cale, Padovani was asked to leave the band.

Since then, he has recorded and performed as a musician in his own right. After The Police, he joined Wayne County & the Electric Chairs. In 1980, he formed his own guitar instrumental band, the Flying Padovanis, and released the single "Western Pasta" (1981). The Flying Padovanis recorded two albums "Font L'Enfer" and "They Call Them Crazy" before disbanding at the end of 1987. A few years later he contributed to a Johnny Thunders tribute album by performing "Cosa Nostra".

In 1984 Miles Copeland, The Police manager and elder brother of Stewart Copeland, appointed Henry as Vice President of IRS Records, a role he performed until 1994. He then managed Italian musician Zucchero for 5 years.

After a five-year sabbatical, Henry decided to return to guitar playing. He recorded with producer Yves Aouizerate a solo album in 2006, "Á croire que c'était pour la vie", sung in French, including the song "Welcome Home" featuring Stewart Copeland and Sting. This was the first time the "original" members of the Police recorded together since "Fall Out". Manu Katché, Steve Hunter, Glen Matlock and Chris Musto also appear on the album.

He also wrote the music for the movies 'la vie comme elle va' and ' Ici Najac à vous la terre' (cannes film festival 2006 official selection, DGA 2007 nomination, Cesars 2007 nomination.)

Henry also released a book in April 2006, "Secret Police Man", that recounts many episodes of his "sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll" London lifestyle in the late-1970s and the early days of The Police.

The Flying Padovanis have reformed in 2007 for an album 'Three for Trouble' to be released in May 2007 and a tour in summer 2007 (including the Fuji rock festival in Japan).

Henry Padovani often appears live on stage with his friend Rachid Taha.

During the 2007 The Police Reunion Tour, Henry Padovani joined the band on stage for the final encore of their show in Paris on September 29th. The Police as a 4-piece band played "Next to You" from the band's first album "Outlandos d'Amour".

Discography

*"Font L'Enfer" - 1982 (with The Flying Padovanis)
*"They Call Them Crazy" - 1987 (with The Flying Padovanis)
*"Á croire que c'était pour la vie" - 2007
*"Three for Trouble" - 2007 (with The Flying Padovanis)

External links

* [http://www.henrypadovani.com Official website]
* [http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2007/07/31/bitterman.france.police.cnn CNN Interview with Henry]